Energy
Meeting the 2030 emissions targets: Mission possible?
Meeting the European Commission’s proposed climate target for 2030 will require a step change in emission reduction – nearly trebling the existing effort – and a considerable ramp up in renewable energy production, write Mike Parr and Gabriel Benchetrit.
World solar technology summit: A blueprint for the energy intensive sector?
The world solar technology summit, which took place in India earlier this month, could in many ways be a model for the decarbonisation of the energy-intensive sector, which includes industries such as steel, cement, chemicals, non-ferrous metals and glass, writes Gauri Khandekar.
Call it by its name: Synthetic gas and oil from old plastics is not ‘recycling’, it’s ‘recovery’
The term “chemical recycling” should only be used for plastic waste reconverted into new plastics. If those plastics are transformed into fuels or petrochemical products, the process should be called “recovery” instead, write Shanar Tabrizi and Fanny Rateau.Promoted content
Biomass: supporting greater climate ambitions without sacrificing sustainability
As Europe’s largest single source of renewable energy, sustainable biomass is a cornerstone of the EU’s low-carbon energy transition. Seeking to accelerate this transition, the European Commission has proposed a series of ambitious new goals to achieve by the end...
An EU 2030 climate target of at least 55% is not only necessary – it is also possible
Ambitious climate policy in the EU can underpin a sustainable economic growth that supports the development of a competitive, modern economy that delivers benefits for all, and acts as a beacon of inspiration to the rest of the world, writes Dan Jørgensen.
How to realise our hydrogen economy (instead of dreaming about it)
Considering the limited amount of green hydrogen available, the European Commission should prioritise its use in sectors that cannot decarbonise through other means like electrification, write Miriam Dalli and Mohammed Chahim.
A ‘solidarity clause’ in the EU climate law
The European Union should include a “solidarity clause” in its climate law to ensure that member states most burdened by the EU's new carbon reduction targets are compensated for the additional costs of purchasing allowances under the EU Emissions Trading System, writes MEP Anna Zalewska.
Freedom to roam – first your phone, now your car?
The European Commission has reiterated its ambition to roll out at least one million public electric vehicle charging stations over the next 5 years. But how can the EU ensure that consumers really benefit wherever they are in Europe? One of the keys to success lies in e-roaming, argues Kristof Vereenooghe.
Azerbaijani gas in Turkish market, perspectives for partnership
Diversification of supplies, including the recent discovery by Turkey of gas in the Black Sea are welcome developments that are unlikely to impact on Azerbaijani gas being a very favourable option for the Turkish gas market, writes Esmira Jafarova.Promoted content
Sustainable mobility for a Green Restart
The opportunity is here: to accelerate towards carbon neutrality and mark this moment as a historical turning point. The solutions are ready and proven. Now, it all comes down to the scale and speed of implementation.
Extended ETS outperforms carbon border adjustment in the power sector
Creating a carbon border adjustment mechanism would not work as well as extending the EU Emissions Trading Scheme to reduce global emissions and further integrate energy exporting countries into the European power market, argue András Mezősi, Zsuzsanna Pató and László Szabó.
EU’s hydrogen strategy a good start but key problems sidestepped
Europe’s hydrogen strategy mostly points in the right direction by identifying renewable hydrogen as a key energy vector and necessary storage solution for delivering a zero-carbon EU, but it side-steps several key problems that go to the core of what...
US pipeline sanctions: Reality check
US pipeline sanctions suggest a deliberate misreading of the European gas market and a paternalistic “America knows best” view of how Europeans should manage their energy commerce, writes Danila Bochkarev.
Gas boilers deserve an ‘F’, not an ‘A’
Fossil gas boilers may continue to be labelled ‘green’ for another decade or so if EU leaders fail to review energy labelling rules for heating appliances within a year. This would be very bad news for an overheating world, write...Promoted content
The European Green Deal will unlock the true potential of bioenergy – if we take the right decisions now
Despite the considerable challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Commission continues to push ahead on the implementation of its ambitious European Green Deal agenda. Its latest proposals include a new 2030 Biodiversity Strategy and, most recently, the ambitious Energy...Promoted content
A successful energy transition requires a legal certainty that leaves no-one behind
Maintaining base electricity production and the security of supply will be indispensable for enabling more renewables in the grid as Europe’s electricity demand continues to grow. This requires the pace of transition to be gradual to avoid stranding assets, which are operating today under existing legislation and market conditions.
Energy Charter Treaty reform: Failure in the first round
The German Presidency should end the comedy of the modernisation of the Energy Charter Treaty and work on a decision to withdraw en masse from the treaty without further delay, argues Yamina Saheb.
Renewable hydrogen: a strategic opportunity for global green recovery
This week, the European Commission presented its hydrogen strategy. It sets out how to make clean hydrogen a viable solution for a climate-neutral economy and build a dynamic hydrogen value chain in Europe in the next five years, writes Kadri Simson.
Why national building renovation plans are key for the recovery
Renovating a country’s buildings and homes represents a massive opportunity for sustainable economic recovery, health, well-being, and CO2 reduction, writes Oliver Rapf.
Housing’s role in Europe’s green transition
What investment could be wiser than one that protects the most vulnerable and contributes to climate change mitigation by decreasing our energy consumption? The Just Transition Fund must recognise housing as a cornerstone of the green transition, argue two leading MEPs and civil society leaders.
New coal law will be ‘canary in a coal mine’ moment for German presidency
As Germany takes the helm of the EU, its problematic coal law risks sending out the wrong signals, writes Riccardo Nigro.
The energy transition, electricity prices and hydrogen
Hydrogen from electrolysers is a 3-in-one energy carrier delivering three solutions to three important emergency energy transition problems, write Mike Parr and Simon Minett.
The Climate Law cannot compromise with the laws of physics
Given the non-linear and irreversible nature of climate change, relying on uncertain future technologies like carbon capture and storage is hazardous and only delays urgent actions that need to be taken now, write Laurent Hubert, Jean-Noël Geist and Adrien Jahier.